Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters

Abstract

Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters, the apparatus comprises a sensor (1) for sensing one or more physical parameters, an interrogator (2) for interrogating the sensor (1) and making a measurement, a cable (3) for extending between the sensor (1) and the interrogator (2), a conduit (4) for extending to a measurement location (5) and which is of such a cross-sectional size that it is able to accept the cable (3) and the sensor (1), and a cable installer (6) for installing the sensor (1) and the cable (3) through the conduit (4) and for placing the sensor (1) at the measurement location (5), the cable installer (6) being such that it includes a device (7) for propelling a fluid along the conduit (4), and the conduit (4) being such that it contains a lead-in section (8) for providing sufficient fluid drag on the cable (3) as it enters the conduit (4) from the cable installer (6) to ensure that the sensor (1) is able to be transported through the conduit (4).

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters, which apparatus comprises sensing means for sensing one or more physical parameters, interrogation means for interrogating the sensing means and making a measurement, a cable for extending between the sensing means and the interrogation means, a conduit for extending to a measurement location and which is of such a cross-sectional size that it is able to accept the cable and the sensing means, and cable installation means for installing the sensing means and the cable through the conduit and for placing the sensing means at the measurement location, the cable installation means being such that it includes means for propelling a fluid along the conduit, and the conduit being such that it contains a lead-in section for providing sufficient fluid drag on the cable as it enters the conduit from the cable installation means to ensure that the sensing means is able to be transported through the conduit, in which the cable installation means includes a first port where fluid enters into the conduit, and first orifice means through which the cable is able to be progressively pulled while deploying the sensing means, and in which the first orifice means is such that sufficient fluid flows through the conduit in order to transport the sensing means, and in which the first orifice means includes a capillary connected to the lead-in section. 
     
     
       2. Apparatus according to claim 1 in which the first orifice means includes a diameter restriction in order to reduce the pressure of the fluid at the end of the capillary. 
     
     
       3. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lead-in section does not contain substantial bends having bend radii less than 100 times the internal cross-sectional radius of the lead-in section. 
     
     
       4. Apparatus according to claim 3 wherein the bends do not cause the cable when tensioned in the conduit to engage multiple surfaces of the conduit and in which at least two of these surfaces are separated by a distance less than 10 times the internal cross-sectional diameter of the conduit. 
     
     
       5. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the lead-in section is a substantially straight section of tubing which is at least 2 meters long. 
     
     
       6. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cable installation means includes a lead element attached to the sensing means. 
     
     
       7. Apparatus according to claim 1 further comprising a second orifice means and a second port for reducing the fluid flowing through the second orifice means, and wherein the second orifice means is such that the cable is able to be progressively pulled through the second orifice means while pumping the sensing means to the measurement location. 
     
     
       8. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cable comprises a carbon coated optical fiber. 
     
     
       9. Apparatus according to claim 8 wherein the fluid is replaced by a different fluid after the sensing means has been placed at the measurement location. 
     
     
       10. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the fluid is replaced by a different fluid after the sensing means has been placed at the measurement location. 
     
     
       11. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the cable installation means includes pay out means for controlling the rate at which the cable deploys. 
     
     
       12. Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters, which apparatus comprises sensing means for sensing one or more physical parameters, interrogation means for interrogating the sensing means and making a measurement, a cable comprising a carbon coated optical fiber for extending between the sensing means and the interrogation means, a conduit for extending to a measurement location and which is of such a cross-sectional size that it is able to accept the cable and the sensing means, and cable installation means for installing the sensing means and the cable through the conduit and for placing the sensing means at the measurement location, the cable installation means being such that it includes means for propelling a fluid along the conduit, and the conduit being such that it contains a lead-in section for providing sufficient fluid drag on the cable as it enters the conduit from the cable installation means to ensure that the sensing means is able to be transported through the conduit. 
     
     
       13. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the fluid is replaced by a different fluid after the sensing means has been placed at the measurement location. 
     
     
       14. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the cable installation means includes a first port where fluid enters into the conduit, and first orifice means through which the cable is able to be progressively pulled while deploying the sensing means, and wherein the orifice means is such that sufficient fluid flows through the conduit in order to transport the sensing means. 
     
     
       15. Apparatus according to claim 14 wherein the first orifice means includes a capillary in series with the lead-in section. 
     
     
       16. Apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the first orifice means includes a diameter restriction in order to reduce the pressure of the fluid at the end of the capillary. 
     
     
       17. Apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the cable installation means includes a sealed container for holding the sensing means and the cable. 
     
     
       18. Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters, which apparatus comprises sensing means for sensing one or more physical parameters, interrogation means for interrogating the sensing means and making a measurement, a cable for extending between the sensing means and the interrogation means, a conduit for extending to a measurement location and which is of such a cross-sectional size that it is able to accept the cable and the sensing means, and cable installation means for installing the sensing means and the cable through the conduit and for placing the sensing means at the measurement location, the cable installation means being such that it includes means for propelling a fluid along the conduit, and the conduit being such that it contains a lead-in section for providing sufficient fluid drag on the cable as it enters the conduit from the cable installation means to ensure that the sensing means is able to be transported through the conduit, and in which the fluid is replaced by a different fluid after the sensing means has been placed at the measurement location. 
     
     
       19. Apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the cable is an optical fiber cable. 
     
     
       20. Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters, which apparatus comprises sensing means for sensing one or more physical parameters, interrogation means for interrogating the sensing means and making a measurement, a cable comprising an optical fiber for extending between the sensing means and the interrogation means, a conduit for extending to a measurement location and which is of such a cross-sectional size that it is able to accept the cable and the sensing means, and cable installation means for installing the sensing means and the cable through the conduit and for placing the sensing means at the measurement location, the cable installation means being such that it includes means for propelling a fluid along the conduit, and the conduit being such that it contains a lead-in section for providing sufficient fluid drag on the cable as it enters the conduit from the cable installation means to ensure that the sensing means is able to be transported through the conduit, and wherein the lead-in section is of such a design that if the conduit is detached from the lead-in section, and the transport of the cable through the lead-in section commenced using the cable installation means, then the cable will continue to be transported through the lead-in section if a tensile load of up to 1 Newton is applied to the cable at the exit of the lead-in section for more than one minute, and where the cable will start to transport again if the motion of the cable is stalled at the exit of the lead-in section for more than two seconds. 
     
     
       21. Apparatus for the remote measurement of physical parameters, which apparatus comprises sensing means for sensing one or more physical parameters, interrogation means for interrogating the sensing means and making a measurement, a cable comprising an optical fiber for extending between the sensing means and the interrogation means, a conduit for extending to a measurement location and which is of such a cross-sectional size that it is able to accept the cable and the sensing means, cable installation means for installing the sensing means and the cable through the conduit and for placing the sensing means at the measurement location, the cable installation means being such that it includes means for propelling a fluid along the conduit, and the conduit being such that it contains a lead-in section for providing sufficient fluid drag on the cable as it enters the conduit from the cable installation means to ensure that the sensing means is able to be transported through the conduit, wherein the cable installation means includes a first port where fluid enters into the conduit, and a plurality of orifice means through which the cable is able to be progressively pulled while deploying the sensing means, and wherein each orifice means contains at least one port for progressively reducing the fluid flowing through each orifice means from the conduit.